Crash: Murder at 1600
by fieldagent85
Summary: During a White House security crash, the President, First Lady, and the rest of the staff play a little game of Clue to pass the time. Cowritten by Aimee.
1. Chapter 1

"Leo!" Sam looked incredulously at the older man as they all sat in the dinning room during one of their Senior Staff meetings that Jed decided to have out of the office.

The current topic of discussion had already begun to escape Claudia Jean. Toby had long since begun to ignore all the occupants of the meeting, irritation settling in deep in his being.

"Sam." Leo scolded.

"Hang on," Josh stuck up for his buddy. "I think he might have something here."

"You can't possibly be taking him seriously?"

"I think there is some merit in his argument, Leo. I think the President should give this topic more consideration. I think we really should include this in the speech and maybe trump it up some more."

"That is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing," Toby tuned back into the conversation. He had to stick up for what he wasn't prepared to write about for a speech.

Jed sat back letting the younger men hash this out. For the time being it provided him some comic relief from his day, however fleeting a moment as it may prove to be. Just as he heard Leo start to yell at them to all shut up, he saw the door open and within seconds, he was graced with the presence of his beautiful bride of more years than either of them liked to count.

"Leo, you know I could hear you shouting from all the way down the hall?" Abbey breezed into the room, her chief of staff right behind her.

Leo looked from Josh and Sam to Abigail Bartlet. "I don't doubt that." He wasn't planning to apologize. He was trying to instill some sort of normalcy to the meeting before them. The problem was that Josh, Sam, and Toby loved to go at it like a bunch of teenagers.

"Abbey." Jed stood and approached his wife.

"Hey babe." Abbey placed a hand on her husband's chest, the other snaking around his back, embracing him. They shared a brief kiss.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Jed looked from Abbey to Amy, back to Abbey.

"I wouldn't exactly call this visit one of pleasure." Abbey warned. Turning her head to look behind her, she said, "Amy?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"Why don't you tell them all why we've come to interrupt their meeting." Abbey smiled at her. They had planned this all out. It was Amy's idea. But Abbey was the one that had decided to go through with it.

"Yes ma'am." She took a few steps forward and just as she was about to tell them, thus opening up a new can of worms for the President's staff to deal with, the few doors to the dinning room opened at once and a sudden wave of black crashed into the room like a violent wave coming to sea during a storm at night.

"Everybody step away from the doors and windows," one of the many new bodies in the room gave voice to the standard line this situation called for.

"Crap!"

"Again?"

"What's going on?"

"Away from the doors and windows?"

"There are no windows and only a few doors in this room. Do you guys realize how stupid your standard line is?"

"Josh, just do it!"

"What happened?"

"Everyone, calm down." The President tried to claim a sense of calm amidst the storm of black suits bringing the news of yet another 'crash'. "Josh, you know the drill."

"Yes sir."

"Everyone, take a seat. We may be here for a while." Jed couldn't help but notice that most of his staff had found their way to their feet, probably startled from the service. Jed heard his staff murmur a number of 'yes sir's' as they all complied with his directive. "Good." He looked over to his wife. "It seems you picked one hell of a time to come visit."

"Well, you know me." She smiled at him as the two sat close together at the table.

"Yeah. A little too well." Jed searched her eyes, trying to find a clue as to what her visit during his meeting was all about. Why did she bring Amy with her? What was Amy about to tell them?

Abbey was about to say something to her husband when she heard an unusual voice of reason in the room. "Hey, maybe this time we should do something other than work to pass the time."

All eyes flew to the youngest person in the room. "It was just a thought." Sam gulped, feeling a bit too self-conscientious at this particular moment in time. "I mean. Some of these crashes last a long time. All we ever do is work through them. And sometimes the tempers flare a bit too much and we're trapped in here with that."

"What a brilliant idea Samuel Norman."

"Thank you." Sam took a beat. "Claudia Jean."

Leo's eyes found those of his best friend, giving him a look of concern. A look that begged an answer to the question, 'What the hell is about to happen and why?'

Jed, donning his own look of amusement, grinned. "Sam, that's a great idea. I've got just the game in mind."

"Crap." Leo muttered. Boy did he give that look to the wrong person. Maybe Abbey could help him out here. "Abbey?"

"Jed?" Abbey gave her husband a cautious glance.

"Yeah?"

"What are you planning?"

"Planning? To have fun of course!"

"Does this scare the crap out of anyone else?" Leo muttered again.

"I'm with you." Toby offered his boss.

"Sir, what did you have in mind?" Sam asked with cautious optimism. It could be fun.

"A game of Clue."

"Clue?"

"Clue?"

"You mean-"

"Jed?"

"Mr. President. With all due respect-"

"Sounds like fun!"

"Clue?"

"Well thank you, Sam." Jed picked out the one voice that seemed to be on his side.

"Jed."

"Yeah?"

"Clue?"

"A modified version." He offered.

"Modified?"

"Count me out."

"You have to participate, Tobias."

"Says who?"

"Me and the seal there on my carpet."

Toby glared at his boss. "Yes sir."

"There. Now everyone, this will be a lot more fun when you all realize, like Toby just did, that you have no say in the matter." Jed grinned as he picked up a pad of paper that was on the table for their meeting and wrote a few character names down. He then tore the names off the paper and folded them up. Giving them a good mixup and holding them in his cupped hands, he had everyone draw a piece of paper from his hands.

Next, each person picked out another piece of paper one said killer, one said accomplice, one said victim, the others said bystander. The third piece of paper everyone picked from had a room in the White House listed on it. And the final piece of paper they all drew was a 'weapon' that could be found throughout the White House.

After everyone drew their final two pieces of paper, Jed shared a master list of the 'who' 'what' and 'where' that everyone just chose from, so they had a basis to formulate their guesses.

"Okay, so what are the rules?" Sam asked, the only one that was truly into the idea of playing this game. Well, the only one other than Jed.

"Well, we don't have any dice or the game board in here so I say we role-play this out." Josh offered, starting to get into it.

"Great idea, Sparky." Amy sneered.

Josh gave her a look. "Thanks." He said sarcastically, not sure what he did to deserve the attitude from her.

"That's a great idea," Jed grinned, rubbing his hands together. "We'll role play it."

"Abbey."

Abbey looked to Leo and nodded, then turned to Jed. "Jed."

"Yeah?"

"Don't you think it's wrong to make everyone participate in this game?"

Jed shrugged. "I had no problems forcing them to a chili party why would I mind having them play a game to pass the time?"

"This is different."

"It'll be more fun." This was all falling on deaf ears, as Jed's mind was set. He loved to play the game of Clue.

Abbey sighed, giving Leo a look of, 'I tried.'

"Okay. So here is how it goes. As soon as I'm done explaining the rules, we all have to slip into our roles. From there on out we are our characters. We have all been invited to a party hosted by – Mrs. White." Jed tossed out a name of one of the characters. "We're there, mingling having fun when there's a storm which causes a blackout for a few seconds. When the light comes back on, or we close our eyes long enough for the victim to lay down and pretend to be dead, and then open our eyes, there's the victim and from there on out we all get to play detective, trying to gather clues to figure out who done it with what and what room we're in. Each person has a room and a weapon that they know of so they know that it couldn't possibly have been that. You have to question each other to figure out what their room and object was. Each person can only ask one room question and one weapon question to each person and the question has to be a yes or no answered question. You have to answer truthfully. If there's a debate over the question asked, if it is 'in the rules' I get to decide if it's allowed. No one can just blurt out their information in an attempt to speed up the game though, because if you do, you have to deal with me." Jed glared at each of them, driving his point home. "Everyone understand the rules?"

A sea of "Yes sir's" was echoed throughout the room.

"Okay everyone. Let's get started." He grinned.

"Wait."

"Yes?"

"Are we confined only to this dining room? I mean." Josh turned to the service agents. The rest of the residence is secure right? Can we not be cooped up in here?"

The agents looked at each other, then spoke into their microphones to make sure the entire residence was secure with an agent at every door and window. "You're restricted to this floor only. Stay away-"

"From the doors and windows. We know." Josh finished.

"Well, there you have it." Jed smiled at them. "Everyone let's tell each other who we are. I'll start. I'm Mr. Green." He looked to Abbey for her to go next.

Abbey stared at her husband for a long moment before finally giving in and playing his game. It could be fun. And if not, she'd make him pay later, in private. "Miss Scarlett."

A few people throughout the room snickered over the luck of the draw on that one.

Leo was next. "Oddly enough, I'm Colonel Mustard."

"Professor Plum." Sam grinned.

Jed chuckled. Wow. He didn't purposely set it up like this. How ironic.

"Mrs. White." Amy joined in.

"I'm the butler," Josh said, his voice showing his displeasure in his character.

"The butler did it." Amy grinned.

"Shut up." Josh chided her.

Toby cleared his throat. "I'm the cook."

CJ smirked. "I'm sure those Julia Childs shows will come into handy."

Toby glared at her. "And who are you?"

CJ pulled herself together and with all the dignity she could muster, she said, "Mrs. Peacock."

Everyone burst out laughing at the final person.

"Well. This should be interesting." 


	2. Chapter 2

"Excuse me, Mr. President?"

They all turned abruptly to see Charlie and Debbie standing in the doorway.

"It's Mr. Green, Charlie," Abbey corrected him.

"I'm sorry, ma'am?"

Abbey glanced at her husband.

"Should we tell them?"

"Tell us what?" Debbie interjected.

"We're playing a little game of…Clue."

"Clue?" Charlie repeated.

"That's right!" Jed said. "And you two get to be…cops."

Debbie raised an eyebrow.

"Cops, sir?"

Josh tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress his laughter. Amy jabbed him in the ribs.

"Ow! Amy!"

"That's Mrs. White to you, Cogsworth."

"Don't call me that."

She grinned, devilishly.

"I gotta hand to you, Mr. Pres…Green, this IS quite enjoyable," Amy said.

Jed nodded.

"See, I didn't get elected President for nothing."

"Keep telling yourself that, babe," Abbey said.

He glared back at her, then continued, unperturbed.

"So, Officers Young and Fiderer, are you prepared to join our game?"

"I don't know, sir, I mean…"

"Yes!" Debbie interrupted the younger man. "We're in. Aren't we, Officer Young?"

Charlie sighed.

"I guess so."

"Excellent! Let's begin. Officer Fiderer, would you hit the lights please? On my command," Jed requested.

"You got it, Mr. Green."

"Now. Everyone. Stay in your places. When Officer Fiderer kills the lights, the victim will quietly move to the ground and…well, play dead. Understood?"

They all assented.

"All right then. Off with the lights!"

Debbie flipped the light switch, and they all, except one, stood motionless in the dark.

"Ok, Officer Fiderer. Lights on!" Jed ordered.

Debbie did as she was told. The lights flickered back on, and everyone turned their gazes to the middle of the room. Sprawled, frozen, on the floor, was Toby Ziegler—AKA the cook. C.J. chuckled.

"Ladies and gentleman, Julia Child is down!"

Toby's eyes shot open and narrowed in C.J.'s general direction.

"Looks like Mrs. Peacock hath awoken the dead," Sam commented.

"Watch it, Professor, or I'll shove this pen up your…"

Jed cleared his throat.

"Ahem. Let's try to keep it clean, please, kids."

"So…the cook's dead and out of our way. Now what?" Abbey questioned.

"Thank you for that, Mrs. Bartlet," Toby muttered.

Abbey grinned.

"That's Miss Scarlett to you, Julia."

"Now, my dear Miss Scarlett," Jed began. "We separate."

"How are we supposed to pick up clues if we separate?" Josh asked.

"Eventually, we'll run into one another and that's when the interrogation comes in."

"By what means are we to get the information out of people?" Sam wondered.

"Any means you like. Be it insinuation, direct yes or no question, or…torture. And only three inquiries, one for each factor, per encounter. Are we in accord?"

"Yes, sir!" They all agreed.

"Ok, then, troops. Separate!"

Amelia Gardner slowly crept down an empty hall of the Residence. Her eyes wandered, cautiously, as she moved toward one of the many bedrooms in the area. As she approached the door, she heard the floorboards creek and she froze in her tracks. Instantly assuming her own footsteps had caused the sudden noise, she brushed it off. Slowly, her hand gravitated to the doorknob. The moment her fingers touched it, she felt a clammy hand grasp her shoulder and let out a blood-curdling scream that made the Secret Service take notice. Amy whipped around, to find her sinister ex-boyfriend lurking behind her, a cheeky smile plastered on his face.

"You're a real jackass, you know that!" Amy accused.

Before Josh could reply, two agents arrived to investigate the scream they had heard.

"Everything all right, Ms. Gardner? Mr. Lyman?"

"Oh…yeah. Everything's fine," Amy answered, quickly.

"It's Mrs. White and the butler, by the way," Josh corrected them.

The two agents stared at him for a moment, then nodded.

"Very good."

With that, they excused themselves and left Amy and Josh on their own.

"So. What's your chosen method of interrogation, Mrs. White? Torture or insinuation?"

"Bite me," Amy said, turning away from him and opening the door, as she had planned to before he had so rudely interrupted her.

"You realize that's a closet, right?"

Amy rolled her eyes, flung the door open, and started to walk in. Josh was intent on following her, when she let out yet another scream and jumped backwards, landing on Josh's toe.

"What the hell!" Josh exclaimed.

She turned into him and buried her face into his shoulder. Surprised by this, he glanced over her head to see what all the fuss was about it. One glance at the sight before him nearly sent him into cardiac arrest.

"Thank God you went in before I did," Josh whispered.

Tentatively, Amy lifted her head from his shoulder and looked back into the room to see if the coast was clear yet. They both watched in horror as a certain Miss Scarlett stood, her fingers frantically buttoning up her blouse. Beside her, a certain Mr. Green was re-fastening his belt buckle. She smoothed out her skirt, pushed her hair out of her face, and then faced her nervous Chief of Staff and her husband's flustered Deputy Chief of Staff.

"Hi, guys," she said, with a tense grin on her face.

"Miss Scarlett. Mr. Green," Josh replied with amusement, nodding in their direction.

"Sorry to…disturb you," Amy said.

"Oh, that's quite all right. Mr. Green was just…interrogating me," Abbey said.

"If that's what you want to call it," Josh agreed.

Jed glared at him.

"Ok, everybody out. Fun's over."

"Awe, really? The fun was just beginning," Josh said, sarcastically.

Jed sighed.

"Let's go." 


	3. Chapter 3

Two very curious eyes glanced in the direction of the closet down one of the many hallways in the residence. From his standpoint, Leo could see Amy practically clinging to Josh. Then some words were said that he, unfortunately, couldn't hear. Before long, Josh backed up and he and Amy turned and fled down the hallway from which they came as fast as they could. Leo smiled. Just as he was going to turn, he caught two people stepping out of the closet, closing the door behind them. Leo watched with some interest. They never could keep their hands off of each other.

When they were both out of the closet, with the door closed, Abbey put an arm around her husband, placing a hand inside his rear pocket on the opposite side. Jed reciprocated, only there was no pocket for his hand to rest inside of, so he just wrapped it around her side. The two walked down the hallway just like that.

"That was a fun interrogation." Abbey rested her head against his arm.

"Yeah, it was." Jed gleamed. "But strangely enough, I don't remember getting any answers."

"I don't remember you asking any questions." Abbey smirked.

"Ah. That's right." Jed stopped walking, causing Abbey to stop as well. He then wrapped both arms around her frame, his hands resting on the cheeks of her buttocks. "So maybe I should take this opportunity to ask away?"

"Oh, Mr. Green." Abbey pretended to be offended by the placement of his hands.

"Yes?" He asked with amusement.

"Kindly remove your hands or lose them for good."

"Why, yes ma'am. I was merely-"

"I am well aware of what you were merely doing." Abbey winked at him. "But not where all the others can see."

"Ah, screw the others."

"I'd rather screw you." Abbey said in a low, seductive tone, so just Jed could hear.

Jed's heart began to beat faster, pumping blood to where it shouldn't go, at least not now that they were out of the closet. He cleared his throat, trying to regain some composure. "So my questions."

"Yes, Mr. Green?"

"Did you do it?"

"Why, whatever would make you think I would be capable of something so heinous?" Abbey put a hint of southern accent into her words as she was really getting into this game and her role.

"Is that a no?"

"That's an 'I can't believe you asked'." Abbey smiled at him innocently.

Jed nodded and took it as a no. "You tell me what your place and weapon were and I'll tell you mine."

"Mr. Green! What audacity!"

Jed looked at her with amusement. He loved that she was really getting into this. Hmm. Maybe tonight in bed, they could continue this interrogation. She surely wouldn't make him move his hands then. "Sorry, ma'am. I didn't mean to implicate anything by that."

"You certainly better not have."

He stammered a bit as he still needed to get her answers so he could be that much closer to solving the mystery at hand, even though he really just wanted that much closer to her. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Could you ever forgive me?"

"We'll see." There was a hint of flirtation in her voice.

Jed nodded. After a beat, he asked, "So what room were you in?"

Abbey turned her head to the side, amusement taking over. "I thought these were to be yes or no questions."

"I changed my mind."

Abbey rolled her eyes at him. "I was in the blue room."

"Are you- No you weren't."

"How do you know?"

"Because I was in the blue room!" He raised his voice slightly but not to where everyone heard him.

"Thanks babe, for helping me narrow it down."

Jed glared at her. "What room were you in Miss Scarlet?"

"That's not a yes or no question, Mr. Green."

"Were you in the," Jed stopped to think. "Oval?" He saw the answer in her eyes and amended his question before she vocalized it. Sometimes the fact that he knew her so well came in handy. "I meant the. Um. Gre-" He saw that look again. "Er, Roosevelt room?"

"It took you long enough." Abbey laughed.

"Well, Miss. Scarlett."

"Hmm?"

"Was the weapon in your room the – uh – uhm. The almighty pen?" He named one of the weapons he listed was a Mrs. Landingham Pen, in honor of her. There were other, silly things too. A fire poker in honor of the fire Josh and Sam started. The crystal pitcher Jed was given for being a good guy, even if it broke a few years ago. The special carving knife that Charlie had to track down for Jed.

"No dear."

"Okay." Jed looked at her. "Are you going to ask me what weapon was in the room with me?"

"Honestly, I hadn't thought about it."

"And why is that?"

Leo chose this moment to come out of hiding and let the couple know that he was in the area. He wasn't stupid though. He wasn't going to clue them into the fact that he knew the answers they had already shared. 3 rooms of the 8 narrowed out of the equation for him. And he hadn't even used any of his questions yet.

Careful not to be seen, Leo tiptoed away from the wall he had been standing behind and over to the other side of that room. Then he let his footsteps become louder. "Ah. Mr. Green. Miss Scarlet. Imagine my surprise at finding the two of you together."

Jed looked over at his chief of staff. "What are you implying."

"Nothing." The three of them walked together, past the dining room, towards the living room. As they passed the dining room, however, they stopped when they noticed Toby still pretending to be dead.

"Toby. You can get up. You don't have to lie there the whole time."

"I'm playing dead, sir. You told me I had to play."

"Yeah, but don't you want to find out who killed you?"

"Not really, sir. No."

"No?"

"No."

"You'd rather just play dead?"

"I'm playing your game, aren't I?"

"He's got you there." Leo joined in.

Jed sighed. He was going to continue when there was some giggling to be heard coming out of the living room. "What on earth?" He turned to Abbey.

She shrugged. "It's coming from the living room."

"Should we-?"

"Colonel Mustard. Would you mind finding out what that giggle was about?"

Leo looked at Jed as if he had two heads but then he realized it was his chance to ditch Jed and Abbey and gather more information from others. "Okay." He walked to the living room. "Professor Plum. Mrs. Peacock. What's going on?"

"He's trying to torture my answers out of me!"

"By tickling her to death?"

"It seemed like a better plan in my head. Until she hit me for tickling her."

Leo shook his head. Craziness. Pure unadulterated craziness. He got two looks of innocence as he moved out of the room, but not out of earshot.

"So."

"Yeah?"

"This is your idea of-?"

"Fun, Charlie."

"Right." He looked at Debbie. It was then that he gave a slight chuckle of amusement as he watched Amy interrogate Josh. "So- If we're the cops, trying to figure it out. Why are they all still trying to figure it out?"

Debbie thought over the question. "I suppose the more trying to solve it, the faster it gets solved."

"Right." Charlie grimaced in mock pain when he saw Amy smack Josh upside the head. "Ouch."

"Sir." Jed was being approached by one of the agents.

"What's up?"

"Sir, the crash is over. You guys can all get back to-"

"Does anyone else know?" Jed looked around. No one was near him.

"No, sir. You're the only one we've told, sir."

"Keep it that way." Jed grinned. "I want everyone to keep playing my game."

"Yes sir." The agent agreed and then walkied to everyone to pretend the crash was still going on, on orders of the President, so he could finish his game. For the most part, the service didn't mind. It amused them to a great extent to watch the day's festivities. 


	4. Chapter 4

"I think the President did it."

Debbie whipped around and looked at Charlie incredulously.

"Really, Charles. Why's that?"

"He just doesn't seem to care too much about solving the mystery," Charlie explained.

"Gee. What would make you say that?"

"The way he's frolicking around with Mrs. Bartlet."

Debbie laughed.

"Frolicking?"

"Yeah. They do that, ya know."

"Oh, I know. I just never would have chosen that particular term to describe it."

"Yeah. The President is definitely the murderer."

"Don't let the press hear you say that, or we'll be in trouble."

When C.J. Cregg entered the dining room, she found it completely quiet. She nearly assumed it was empty, when her eyes happened upon a familiar figure laying on the ground- still. His eyes were closed and his body still. She snickered silently to herself before tip-toeing towards him. She kneeled beside him, then reached out and poked his stomach. When he didn't respond, she poked him again, in the chest. She frowned when she still didn't get a response. C.J. slowly stood, then pressed her foot down on his stomach. Toby jerked up, causing C.J. to loose her balance and fall to the ground. After a moment, she lifted her body up into a sitting position and glared at him. He shrugged in return.

"You could have given me a concussion," C.J. said.

"You stepped on me!"

"You didn't move when I poked you!"

"What the hell were you doing poking me to begin with!" Toby exclaimed.

"It was fun!" C.J. argued back.

Toby rolled his eyes.

"It's fun to poke the victim's body."

"Yes!"

"Well, you sure have a knack for raising the dead today, C.J."

"Mrs. Peacock!" C.J. corrected him.

"Yeah, yeah. Now would you get outta here please? Don't I deserve to be dead in peace?"

"Jed," Abbey mumbled. "Jed…come on, stop."

She tried to catch his hands, which had begun to roam over her body aimlessly. She finally caught him on her hips and stopped their movement.

"Don't you want to find out who the murderer is?" She asked.

"Not really, no."

"Well, I do!" She shrugged out of his grasp.

"But you're Miss Scarlett. You're supposed to be a vixen. A harlot, if you will."

Abbey's jaw dropped in shock.

"You just called your own wife a prostitute. I think you have to ask yourself, what does that say about you if you married a prostitute?"

"I'll tell you exactly what it says about me…just follow me into the bedroom and I'll tell you all about it."

"Your entire staff is up here, Jed," Abbey protested.

"Mr. Green," he said, pulling her back into his embrace.

She shook her head fervently, and untangled herself from him yet again.

"I'm leaving!"

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go interrogate some of the others."

"You better not."

Abbey grinned at him slyly and began strutting away from him.

"Just try and stop me."

"Colonel Mustard!" C.J. called, entering the kitchen.

"Mrs. Peacock."

"May I borrow you for a moment?"

"I didn't do it," Leo said, simply.

"Well, I don't believe you. Prove it."

Leo sighed, irritably.

"I mean it. Name your weapon, Colonel."

"Make me."

"Don't tempt me. I've got some tricks up my sleeve. I'm no weakling."

"Really, because you seemed rather weak back when Sam was tickling you," Leo replied.

"That was torture. He was torturing me."

"Yeah, that was pretty obvious."

"It's like the Spanish Inquisition up here."

Leo nodded.

"I can't wait until this crash is over."

"It's taking a lot longer than usual. You don't think something could be seriously wrong, do you?" C.J. asked.

"Nah, I'd be in the sit room by now if that were the case."

C.J. looked at him suspiciously.

"Was that a clue?"

Leo smirked.

"Maybe."

"At least give me your weapon too!"

"I just did."

"What!"

"There were two clues in that sentence, Mrs. Peacock. Read between the lines." 


	5. Chapter 5

"Walk with me." Abbey seemed to give Leo a directive instead of asking him.

"It'd be my pleasure." He gave Abbey a smile. "Where are we walking?"

"Around." She smiled.

"Okay then." He was surprised when he smiled at her looping her arm through his. "So are we just walking? Or are we talking too, Miss Scarlett?"

Abbey gave a playful smile at this question. "Hmm." She thought of giving an amusing answer. "I think you know who did it."

"You- Really? What would make you think that?"

"I've been watching you."

"You've been watching me?"

"I've been watching you." Abbey repeated. "Watching others."

"You've been watching me watch others?"

"Are you going to repeat everything I say Colonel Mustard?"

"I was thinking about it." Leo smirked.

"You know, don't you?"

"I have my suspicions." Leo replied, mysteriously.

"Would you care to share them with me?"

"Nope."

"Was it Mr. Green?"

"Now, you gave him a thorough interrogation. I would think you, of all people, would know if Mr. Green was the murderer."

"Wow. Did you have fun with that or what?"

"You two are acting like teenagers, running around."

"It's a fun game." Abbey smiled.

"He doesn't seem to be playing the same game though."

"Don't I know it." She muttered, catching a glimmer of Amy off in the distance, interrogating Sam. A warm smile developed when she caught Josh watching the two of them, a jealous glint to his eyes. "What do you think of those two?"

"Professor Plum and Mrs. White?" Leo questioned.

"Amy and Josh."

Leo shook his head. He wasn't going to go there. He didn't care to.

Abbey smiled at him, then kissed his cheek. "I'm going to go find out what Plum and White are talking about."

"You do that. I think I'm going to watch you watch me watch others."

Abbey's eyes narrowed in confusion. "How can you watch me if you're watching others?"

Leo grinned devilishly. "I'll talk with you later, ma'am. It looks like your suspects are getting away." Leo noticed Amy and Sam breaking up.

Abbey gave him a careful look as she backed away from him. Shaking her head, she decided to forget about it for the time being.

"I think she did it."

"She didn't."

"I think he's the accomplice."

"No way. I would know."

"Did you see that kiss?"

"It was a friendly kiss on the cheek."

"It was a kiss saying, don't tell anyone I did it."

"Keep talking about this- And you're fired."

"Yes sir."

"Thank you." Jed turned his gaze on CJ. "Lincoln Bedroom?"

CJ's eyes widened. "How did you know sir?"

Jed smirked. "It may seem like I don't care about playing. It may seem as if I'm only chasing Miss Scarlett around. But I hear things."

"Yes sir. I didn't- I would never-"

"It's okay, CJ. I have been chasing her around. But I've been doing it with an ulterior motive."

"Might I ask, sir, what that motive is?"

Jed danced on his feet, displacing the weight back and forth from the tips of his toes to the heels a few times over. A devilish grin appeared on his face as he responded, "You might ask, Mrs. Peacock. But you won't be rewarded with an answer."

"You know, Mr. Green. I've noticed- There's a lot of people in here that seem to be purposely misleading everyone. Just how many 'killers' are there in this game?"

"Are you implying that I may have included more than one killer?"

"I think you did it."

"Excuse me?"

"I think you did it."

"Did what?"

"Killed the cook."

"I didn't."

"Prove it."

"Prove I did and I'll prove I didn't." Amy smiled triumphantly at Sam. "Besides. I'm supposedly the one throwing this 'party' in which someone was killed. Why would I ruin my own party?"

"Then you know who did it."

Amy smiled. "I know who didn't do it. I haven't figured out who did do it yet."

Sam nodded. "Josh seems to be following you around."

"Yeah, I know."

"You think it'd be too cliché to accuse the butler of having done it?"

"You think the butler did it?"

"I think the President may have rigged it so that the butler did it."

"Charlie thinks the President, er, Mr. Green did it."

"He does?"

"I heard Charlie talking with Debbie. He thinks the President did it because he has no interest in solving it and that means he did it."

"I don't agree with that logic." Amy straightened her posture when Abbey approached them.

"Hello." Abbey took Sam's arm, much as she had Leo's. If Jed was going to call her a vixen, a harlot – Well, she'd show him!

"Hello ma'am." Sam, the ultimate charmer, smiled at her.

"Mrs. White, lovely party you've thrown."

"Thank you." Amy watched her boss with interest. "But I can't take all the credit. I don't even remember planning it. I just- showed up."

Abbey chuckled. "Professor Plum, would you take a walk with me?"

"Uh- Sure. I mean, yes ma'am."

"Mrs. White." Abbey nodded to Amy before she and Sam walked off together.

"What's going on Miss Scarlett?"

"I'm the killer." Abbey whispered, making sure no one was within earshot.

"You- you are?"

"Yes. I did it in the Oval Office." Abbey had a plan to get Sam's information out of him without him realizing it.

"I don't think you're supposed to just go around telling people, Mrs. Bart- Miss Scarlett."

Abbey shrugged. "Yeah, well. It's no fun knowing I'm the killer."

"Wait." Sam's brain caught up with him.

"Yes?"

"Josh was in the Oval Office."

Abbey shrugged. "You got me."

"So you're not the killer?"

"No, but I think I'm closing in on the killer. I just needed your assistance in helping me out."

"And I gave it right to you without realizing it?"

"You're a good boy, Professor Plum." Abbey winked at him, then her eyes lit up as she saw her next victim. "Till next time." She walked off as fast as she had approached. "Cogsworth!"

"That's not my name. Ma'am."

"I heard Mrs. White call you Cogsworth."

"Yes ma'am. That's her idea of humor."

"Well- It's her 'party'. So you'd be her butler. That said, whatever she names you, I'm inclined to go with it." Abbey paused. "So can I trust you with a secret?"

Josh gave her an all too confused look.

"I realize a lot of people are going to try to pin this on you. You being the butler and all. But- I did it."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm the killer." Abbey smiled.

"Ma'am. I don't think you're supposed to just tell me. The Pres- Mr. Green. He told us we weren't allowed to just tell people."

"Yeah. Well. Being married to him, his threats fall on deaf ears with me."

"Yes ma'am."

"I did it. In the Mural room."

"Wait." Josh realized what she was doing. Or so he thought. "Then you didn't do it."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You couldn't have been in the mural room."

"And why is that?"

"Because I was already talking to the person who was."

"And it's not possible that they were yanking your chain?"

"I don't think so."

"So you'd rather believe Sam over me?"

"I didn't say it was Sam."

"You didn't deny it either." Abbey smirked. Boy was she good at getting information from others.

"So this is your strategy? Telling everyone you did it?"

Abbey winked at him. "Wouldn't it be a hoot if it really was me, only no one thinks it is now, because I've told everyone it is?" She left him with that thought as she went in search of her next victim. 


	6. Chapter 6

"Charlie!" Jed called, walking into the sitting room.

Charlie and Debbie had been enjoying the sight of various senior staff members being chased around by the First Lady. She was a woman who knew what she wanted, and even more, she knew exactly how to get it. Just moments before the president entered the room, they had watched Abbey Bartlet interrogate Josh.

"Yes, sir."

Charlie and Debbie both stood immediately.

"Sit down, guys," Jed said.

They did as they were told.

"What can I do for you, sir?" Charlie asked.

"I want your opinion, Officer Young."

"Sir?"

"Who did it?"

"I don't know, Mr. President."

Debbie smirked.

"You know, Officer Young," she said.

"Debbie," Charlie hissed.

"Oh? Do tell," Jed said.

"Deb…er, Officer Fiderer is just trying to give me a hard time, sir. I don't know who the murderer is."

"He think it's you," Debbie said.

Charlie glared at her.

"Thank you for that."

Jed laughed.

"You do, huh? You've always been loyal to me, Officer Young. Why turn on me now?"

"Due respect, sir, but…you don't seem to be taking this quite as seriously as everyone else," Charlie said.

"Ok. I'm gonna tell you two something. But keep in mind, I'm doing so in confidence."

"Yes, sir," Debbie and Charlie replied at once.

"The crash is over."

"Sir?"

"The crash is over. We're all free to go."

Charlie stood.

"Well, in that case…"

"Not so fast, Officer Young. Just because the crash is over doesn't mean the game's over too."

"Oh."

Charlie returned to his seat on the couch. Debbie chuckled.

"Am I to assume we're not to tell the staff?" Debbie asked.

Jed nodded.

"Nor are you to tell my wife. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Still think I'm the murderer?"

"No, sir," Charlie replied.

"Good boy. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go interrogate Miss Scarlett."

"Again, sir?"

Jed narrowed his eyes at the young man.

"I came up with a few more questions for her."

"I'm sure you did, sir," Debbie said, grinning.

"Mr. President, may I give you a piece of advice?" Charlie questioned.

Jed sighed.

"You may."

"If you keep interrogating Miss Scarlett, and no one else, I won't be the only one who thinks you're the murderer."

"Oh, Mrs. White!" Abbey called, in a sing-song voice.

Her Chief of Staff stopped in her tracks and whipped around.

"Miss Scarlett."

"May I have a moment of your time?"

She slung her arm through Amy's as they walked slowly through the Residence.

"What do you think of this game?" Abbey asked.

"I'm enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would."

"Have you figured out who done it yet?"

"No, ma'am. Have you?"

"Oh, I know who did it."

Amy stopped and looked at her.

"You do?"

"Naturally," Abbey replied, coyly.

"Who?"

"Loverboy."

Amy frowned, confused.

"Yours or mine?"

Abbey laughed.

"Yours, honey."

"You think Josh did it?"

"Oh, I know the butler did it."

"That's a bit cliché of you, Miss Scarlett," Amy replied.

"You think he did it too, admit it."

"Well, he said he was in the Oval Office…"

"What? No, he was in the War Room."

Abbey smirked.

"Really."

Amy sighed and looked at the floor, cursing herself. Abbey grinned.

"You're good, Mrs. B," Amy admitted, finally looking up.

Abbey shrugged.

"I'm all right…"

"You gain a person's trust and then you screw 'em over. Classic. I should have seen it coming."

"Yes, you should have. At least I know you didn't do it. Since you were in the Roosevelt room and everything…"

Amy laughed.

"Uh, yeah, if the Roosevelt room looks anything like the green room."

Abbey's face lit up. Amy's eyes widened in horror.

"I can't believe I just said that."

"This game just gets more and more fun by the minute," Abbey commented.

"You intimidated me!"

"What else is new?"

On her way out of the Residence kitchen, C.J. Cregg ran right into to a very glum-looking Amelia Gardner.

"Watch where you're going, Whitey."

"Don't talk to me. I've just been duped by my boss."

"Miss Scarlett?"

"She's wicked."

"Did she Spanish Inquisition you?" C.J. asked.

"No. I'd be grateful if that's how she'd done it. She outsmarted me."

"It's that Harvard education, I bet. Always trying to outsmart the Yalies."

"Bite me."

"Ouch. I'm gonna go now."

"Do that."

"One question."

"What?" Amy asked, reluctantly.

"Did you do it?"

"Did you?"

"No."

"Then neither did I."

"Good. See ya." 


	7. Chapter 7

Tip-toeing through the residence, the killer nervously looked to the left, right, and over his or her shoulder. When certain the coast was clear, they continued into the room that Toby's 'dead' body previously had occupied until Jed all but made him get up and join the other clue hunters.

With an even grin, the killer prominently displayed some marshmallows doused in strawberry jam. Hopefully someone would realize this was a clue to both the murder weapon and the room in which the murder took place!

When finished, the killer once again looked all around and when positive that no one else was around, the killer left the room as quickly and quietly as humanly possible.

"Do you think it's possible for Toby to be the killer?"

"He's the victim."

"But he could have killed himself."

Josh stared at Sam. "Everyone only picked one piece of paper. The killer and the victim couldn't be the same person."

"I overheard someone else asking if there was more than one killer. What if there is?"

Josh looked thoughtfully at his friend. "Let's go interrogate the Mr. Green and find out." Josh smiled. It was probably one of few times he'd ever get away with interrogating the President.

Sam nodded. "I think he's in the kitchen. I saw him go in there a few minutes ago."

"Okay." The two of them began their trek to the kitchen.

When they entered the kitchen, Mr. Green was indeed inside. He had a healthy dose of whip cream sprayed on his face. They weren't sure by the looks of it if Miss Scarlett was kissing him, or trying to spread the cream around.

"What on earth-?"

Jed turned around to look at two of his staffers. "Hello gentlemen. May I help you?"

"Dare we ask what's going on in here?"

"I was getting some pie to eat because I'm hungry."

"And I told him he didn't need any pie."

"So you fought over the whipped cream?"

"Yes."

"Okay then."

"Then we made up." Jed wiggled his eyebrows at Josh and Sam.

The crimsoned Sam cleared his throat. "Yes sir. I think we saw that part."

Jed looked back at Abbey, his eyes twinkling with desire.

"Can we help you boys?" Abbey asked.

"We came to interrogate Mr. Green."

Abbey smirked. "Good cop, bad cop?"

Josh and Sam looked to each other. "We hadn't thought about what technique to use."

"Can I be the bad cop?" Sam asked.

"You can't be the bad cop."

"Why not?"

"You're not capable of being bad!"

"Uh, guys?" Jed looked over with amusement.

"Yes sir?"

"Are you interrogating me or not?"

"Mr. Pre- Green."

"Yes?"

Just as Josh was about to ask the first question, CJ screamed out, "Hey, everyone! Come to the dining room! Now!"

The four occupants of the kitchen looked at each other puzzled for all of three seconds before they hurried to the dining room, where this whole crazy game started.

"What's going on, CJ?"

"Look at this." CJ pointed out to the marshmallows covered in red jam and note left on Sam's laptop that still sat on the dining room table from their meeting earlier saying 'Catch me if you can!' In the background of Sam's laptop, where previously there was the seal of the President, now was a different picture altogether.

"Who did this?" Jed looked around. He had written on the killer's piece of paper to leave clues and he had been waiting for that to happen. It wasn't going to be until the clues were left that people would start to figure out who did it. Which was why he spent more time chasing Miss. Scarlett than anything. He knew something the others didn't!

"The killer did," Abbey answered.

"That looks awfully familiar," CJ said, looking at the picture in the background. "Where have I seen that picture before?"

Sam looked at his new background carefully. "Isn't that a picture of the blue room?" Sam looked to CJ.

"You know, Sam. I think you're right." Abbey looked at it, then spun on her heels to face her husband. "Mr. Green."

"Yes?" Jed said nervously. He knew what was coming, whether it was true or not.

"You were in the Blue room. You're the killer!" CJ took over the interrogation.

"I was in the Blue room! But I didn't do that. Scarlett and I were in the kitchen together just now. How could I have come in here and done this?"

"There is an accomplice in this game. Remember? You wrote one in. You had your accomplice, probably Leo, leave this clue."

"What did I do?" Leo had just barely made it into the room.

"You left this clue."

"I did?"

"The jig is up, Mr. President."

"The jig?" Jed looked to his Deputy Director of Communications.

"Yes sir. We caught you. Confess."

"I will not confess until you find some evidence other than a picture everyone assumes is found in the Blue room, which, I can guarantee you is not. Because, you see, that picture-" Jed froze.

"What?"

"I know what room that picture is from."

"It's from the Blue room." Josh said.

"No. It's not." Jed grinned.

"Would you mind sharing, then, where it's from?" Abbey asked.

"No, I'd rather let you guys all figure it out on your own!" He smirked. "I'm not sharing my clues with anyone!"

"What about the marshmallows?" Sam then asked. "Why are there marshmallows and jam here?"

"Good question." CJ picked the bowl up.

"Is it another clue?"

"It could be."

"A clue to what? Definitely not the murderer."

"Maybe the room or the weapon?"

"Marshmallows? How are marshmallows a clue to a room or a weapon?"

The killer had to try harder than ever before to not let a smirk overtake his or her facial expression. Gosh! These people just didn't get it! It was so obvious! And oh so much fun! 


	8. Chapter 8

"So… Are you having fun with this yet?"

"Oh, a blast."

A nod of the head was followed by, "Any clue who did it yet?"

"I've got my list narrowed down to a few people. I'm still trying to figure out what the marshmallows had to do with anything."

"Yeah. Me too. Well, until I started thinking. Marshmallows are often roasted. And to get a nice fire started, one would need a fire poker. So I was thinking that clue meant the weapon used was the firepoker."

"Wow. That's… Wow. Great deduction. I didn't even think about that."

"No?"

"No."

"Hmm. Well, I suppose you wouldn't have had to do the deductions, being the killer and all. It was pretty clever."

"Yeah." A smug smile, then a look of panic. "Wait! No! I mean! Damn!"

"I knew it was you!"

"I never said it was. I was-" Back-peddling as fast as possible. "I was agreeing that it was pretty clever."

"You can give it up. I know it was you."

A sad sigh of disappointment at being caught. "How did you piece it together?"

"It wasn't that hard." A smirk.

A sad head nod.

Looking around, carefully, the voice of the accuser turned into a whisper. "By the way, I'm your accomplice."

"What?"

"You heard me." A deliberate pause. "I thought it best you know that I was the one that helped you. I can help you stage some more 'clues' if you'd like. I can do it while you're with everyone else. That way anyone else who may be onto you is thrown off. And there's the added benefit that I wasn't alone when your first clue was left."

"Adding to the confusion."

"Yes."

"Sounds great!"

"Doesn't it?" A smirk.

"It does." A nod.

"So. Do you have any ideas for a second clue?" A careful glance around the area, scanning for any eavesdropping.

"I was thinking about leaving a clue about the room I was in, but I'm not quite sure how to go about doing that."

"Like the painting that was left on the computer?"

A nod. "I don't think anyone will figure out where that image is from, though."

"There are a few who think they know."

"Maybe." A pause, followed by a look of confusion. "Wait. How do I know you're really the accomplice?"

"You don't." A grin.

"But even if I'm not, you sound like you need one."

A 'not quite so sure' look, "Can I see your piece of paper saying you're the accomplice?"

"You don't trust me?"

"Frankly, no."

A look of amusement settled in as the accomplice thought over showing the paper saying accomplice to the killer. "What do I get for showing you?"

"What would you want?" A skeptical look.

Taking a moment to think about it, an answer finally escaped, accompanied by a grin. "Free labor."

"Free labor? I don't quite understand."

"Next time I have something I either don't want to do or think you'll be good at doing – you get to do it."

"This doesn't seem like a fair trade to me."

"Take it or leave it."

Taking time to think this over thoroughly, the killer pondered, was it really worth knowing for sure in a game, mind you, that someone was really the accomplice? Was it worth giving them free labor for that knowledge?

"I think … Yes, I'll leave it."

"Are you sure?" The piece of paper with the desired information was being dangled between the two of them.

A firm nod of the head. "Yes. I'm sure."

"Okay." The piece of paper was slipped back into the security from which it came. "Well. It's been fun chatting with you. But if we stay together too much longer, someone will start to suspect something."

"Yeah." A glance around, again, making sure there were no eavesdroppers.

Peeking around the corner, Amy had a good view of CJ and Josh whispering in the very next room. A good view did nothing though, for she couldn't hear what was being said!

"Amy." Abbey walked up behind her chief of staff.

Amy quickly turned around. "Shh." She moved her eyeballs from Abbey, into the room she was spying into, hoping Abbey would get the hint.

Abbey furrowed her brows. "What, or whom, are we spying on?"

"CJ and Josh."

"What are they talking about?"

"I don't know, ma'am. I can't hear them. They're whispering, which makes me think they're up to something."

Abbey shook her head slightly, then put an arm around her chief of staff. "Let's go." Just before they started walking together, Abbey said, "Oh, by the way. I was talking to Liz the other day. She told me to tell you," Abbey started walking now that they were talking. Hopefully Josh and CJ wouldn't think they were eavesdropping.

"Tell me what?" Amy asked, curious.

"That's the thing. I forgot."

"You forgot?"

"Yeah." Abbey smiled. "You see … Jed was nibbling on my ear when I was on the phone with Liz. I'm surprised I even remembered she mentioned anything about you at all."

"Okay, ma'am. I really didn't need to know that."

Abbey shrugged, then looked up. "Oh, Josh. CJ. What are you two doing in here?"

Josh tried to nonchalantly look at Amy. "Uh, we were just talking about the clues left."

"Yeah. Sam says he doesn't remember where it's from. Why it's on his computer even. And the President won't tell us where he thinks it's from."

Abbey grinned. "I could go pry it out of him."

"I'm sure you would, ma'am." CJ laughed.

"Wait," Amy had a thought.

"What?"

"Who's to say that the picture is from the room in which the murder happened in?"

"Amy, it was a clue left by the killer." Josh tried to be smug.

"Yeah, I realize that." She tore him a look for his attitude. She knew he was probably still upset that she got him to tell her everything he knew but she didn't reciprocate the act. "But it doesn't mean it was the room. What if the killer is having fun with us? What if the killer is slowly leaving clues as to what rooms it wasn't? And the murder weapon too. What if it wasn't really the murder weapon like everyone assumed, but one in a series of seven clues that will be left telling us what room and weapon it was not?"

"I hadn't thought about it like that." CJ turned her head in interest, mulling over this information.

"You three keep talking." Abbey grinned. "I'll go find out from Jed what room that picture's from." She winked at Amy, then backed out of the room. 


	9. Chapter 9

"Is this game ever going to end?" Charlie asked, glumly.

"I don't think so, no," Debbie replied.

"It's your optimism that draws me to you."

"Yeah, I get that a lot."

"Do you think anyone's even close to solving the mystery yet?"

"I'm not sure that's the point of the game anymore, to tell you the truth," Debbie said.

"What do you mean?"

"It's turning into a battle of the wits…and the sexes. Seems to me that it's Mrs. Bartlet, Amy, and CJ against the rest of the boys."

"Hmm."

"And I don't think the boys are gonna like it so much when they get their asses kicked."

"I know who the killer is," Josh said, approaching Leo in the dining room.

"Who?"

"What'll you grant me if I tell you?"

"Your job."

"Point well taken."

"Who's the killer?" Leo asked, though he wasn't exactly prepared to believe whatever answer Josh gave him.

"Mrs. Bartlet," Josh replied, smugly.

Leo raised one eyebrow at him, suspiciously.

"Why?"

"Cause it is."

"Why?"

"She doesn't strike you as the killer-type?" Josh said.

"I didn't say that. I'm asking you why."

"Well, for one thing, she's got everyone wrapped around her finger."

"What else is new? Abbey Bartlet has always had everyone wrapped around her finger, for as long as I've known her."

"Not the least of which is…the President."

"You're just catching onto this, Josh?" Leo said.

"Well…"

"The President is a whipped man. This we know."

"Reason number one why I think the First Lady is the killer."

"Mmm, nah. I don't think that's a good enough reason."

"Well, if she's not the killer, she's definitely the accomplice."

"I think that's exactly what she'd like to you think," Leo answered.

"I think First Lady is in on it with Amy."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"I'm just saying. I don't think we should put it past them," Josh said.

"I don't think we should put anything past them."

"Claudia Jean."

"Amelia."

"Whatever happened to using our Clue names, huh?"

"My guess is it got old fast," CJ answered.

"I was really starting to like being called Mrs. White."

"I wish I could say the same about being referred to as Mrs. Peacock."

"Understandable."

"So. You the killer?"

"Are you?" Amy asked.

"I asked you first."

"That's very childish of you."

"Answer the question."

"No."

"Me either," CJ said.

"Ok then. Who is?"

"I don't know!"

"You must know something!"

"Why should I tell you?"

"I think we should form an alliance. If we put together what I know and what you know, we're bound to be onto something," Amy said.

"How do I know this isn't a trick?"

"How do you know it is?"

"Good point. What do you know?"

"What do YOU know!"

"This isn't working," CJ observed.

"Yeah. Ok."

Without another word, they both walked off in different directions.

Jed cleared his throat. "Everyone, can I have your attention." He waited for the chatter and the hushes to go away and the silence to ensue over them before he continued. "Come on. Let's all gather close. Come on. We've got someone here who thinks they've solved the mystery."

This declaration peaked enough interest in everyone that they gathered somewhat quickly.

Jed turned to Josh. "The floor is yours to make your case."

"Thank you, Mr. Green." Josh closed his eyes for a moment, trying to get into his best 'Sherlock Holmes' frame of mind. "It's elementary, really." Sad thing was, though, he was a far better Watson.

"Save us the clichés. Please." Toby all but begged.

Josh sent his friend a look before continuing. "The killer is none other than Mrs. Bartlet."

Jed looked to his wife, a hand moving over his heart. "Is this true?"

"No." Abbey looked from Jed to Josh. "You're not a very good detective."

"But you have to be the killer."

"Why?"

"Because." He rethought his line of thinking. "Everything fits."

"If it fits, you must acquit." Debbie joked.

Everyone but Josh burst into fits of laughter.

"That was good, Debbie." Sam chuckled.

"It wasn't." Josh tried to be serious.

"Josh, sit down before you look any more stupid than you already do."

"Toby. I resent that. At least I'm trying."

"Please. I've had it figured it for hours and I'm not even trying. Leo has it figured out too."

"How do you know?" Leo looked to Toby.

"You've got that look that you have when you know something no one else knows."

"Well, naturally." Leo remarked. "I mean, yeah, I know who did it. But that's not what the look's for."

"What is the look for then?" Charlie asked.

Leo's eyes darted around the room before resting on his best friend and President. "Sir. Ron Butterfield asked me about an hour ago to tell you the report on the crash is on your desk for your review whenever you're done playing."

Jed's eyes went skyward. "When did you talk to him?"

"About an hour ago." Leo said slowly.

Jed shot him a look. "You know what I mean."

"One of the agents in here passed the message along to me."

"They were supposed to stay silent."

"Jed, what are you two talking about?"

"The crash ended twenty minutes into this game." 


	10. Chapter 10

"What!"

"Mr. President!"

"Jed!"

"You've known for an hour, Leo! And you didn't say anything!"

"How is this my fault? He's the one keeping it a secret!"

"Toby, where are you going?" Jed ended the sudden outburst of shouting voices the moment his director of communications got up and began walking out.

"I'm leaving, sir. Getting back to work."

"But Josh was just about to tell us why he thinks my wife is the killer."

"Oh, for crying out loud. Mrs. Bartlet is not the murderer. It's Sam. Sam did it in the Mural room with the fire poker. Mrs. Bartlet's the accomplice."

All eyes moved to Toby following his outburst.

"Sam?"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Is this true?"

"What, Sir?"

"Are you in cohorts with my wife? Killing people behind my back."

"Cohorts?" Abbey flashed Jed one of her famous looks.

Jed gave a sheepish, almost angelic look.

"You're the one in cohorts with the Secret Service, keeping us all prisoners in here."

"Admit it. You've had fun." Jed wiggled his brows at her.

Josh, who didn't see the brow wiggling answered. "Well, I had fun."

"Ah, see Josh. I knew I kept you around for something."

"Thank you Sir. I think."

"Suck up." Amy giggled to herself.

"You're just jealous I got closer to solving this than you did."

"You were wrong."

"I was close. I said Mrs. B was the killer."

"But she wasn't." CJ joined in.

"But she was the accomplice."

"Why were you so certain I was the killer?" Abbey just had to know the answer to this question. She, after all, was an accused woman. Even if she stood clear now, she still wanted to hear the logic of reasoning behind her false accusation.

"You never seemed to be around when the clues were being left. And you were so interested in questioning others and tricking them, getting them confused. It seemed like you were doing that so no one would possibly think it was you. The person most after the truth wouldn't possibly be the one who did it."

"Toby?"

"Yes?" An irritated voice came.

"How'd you know it was Sam?"

"Yeah, Toby. How'd you know it was me?"

"You're the only one that couldn't pull off the art of trickery. I mean, you did a good enough job with Josh. But if anyone bothered to actually watch you or listen to you question the others, it was obvious that you held the knowledge of who it really was. And you would constantly try to cast suspicion out there, on others, to diverge it from yourself. Clever enough on it's own. But coming from you, Sam. It just wasn't believable."

Sam nodded, then looked to Leo.

Leo nodded at the young man. "It was pretty obvious."

Sam nodded. "Okay."

"Okay everyone. Know that the President's game is over, let's get back to work." Leo had to be the joy-kill guy.

Grumbles followed the bodies as they left the room.

"Jed."

"Yeah?" Jed turned at the doorway so he was standing perpendicular to it. His body leaned into the frame as his head turned to the side to look at his wife.

"You knew the whole time."

"Sam?"

"The crash."

"Yeah."

"You didn't tell me."

"I didn't think you'd play along if you knew."

"Why?"

Jed shrugged. He shifted his weight using the displaced weight to propel him forward, back into the room. "I wanted to be able to interrogate you."

"Well." Abbey watched him with a careful eye. "Had you played your cards right, you might have been able to take up your game of clue later tonight, in our room. Just the two of us."

"Did I play them right?"

"Not a chance."

"Abbey." He groaned, sitting on the couch in the living room area of the residence. He pulled Abbey down next to him and put an arm around her. When he got no answer, he smiled. "Miss Scarlett."

"And that's another thing."

"What is?"

"That."

"Miss Scarlett?"

"Yes. Calling me a vixen. A harlot."

"I didn't."

"You did."

Jed closed his eyes and thought about it. Maybe he did. "Yeah. Okay."

"I oughta-"

Jed's lips silenced Abbey's words. After a very long and passionate kiss, he pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes and smiled a soft smile. "You oughta what?"

"I can't remember."

Jed grinned. "Maybe I'll just have to interrogate you." He kissed her again. "Do a pat down." His hands began to wander over her body. Abbey did nothing to stop him.

"Mmm." Was the only sound Abbey made. Maybe a little game of Clue between just the two of them wasn't out of the question.

The End 


End file.
